Exodus 1:22

22 Finally the king issued a command to all his people: "Take every newborn Hebrew boy and throw him into the Nile, but let all the girls live." ¹

Exodus 1:22 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 1:22

And Pharaoh charged all his people
Finding he could not carry his point with the midwives, he gave a general order to all his people everywhere:

saying, every son that is born ye shall cast into the river;
the river Nile; not every son born in his kingdom, for this would have ruined it in time; but that was born to the Jews, as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan; and it is added in the Septuagint version, to the Hebrews:

and every daughter ye shall save alive;
for the reasons given (See Gill on Exodus 1:16).

Exodus 1:22 In-Context

20 Because the midwives were God-fearing, God was good to them and gave them families of their own. And the Israelites continued to increase and become strong.

22 Finally the king issued a command to all his people: "Take every newborn Hebrew boy and throw him into the Nile, but let all the girls live."

Cross References

• 1. 1.22Acts 7.19.